I tested Montec’s Fawk women’s ski jacket and bib pants during a week’s skiing in the French Alps. The weather was a mix of cold, sunny and snowy, as you might expect in January. I wore the ski jacket and bibs for a week of downhill skiing, using gondolas, chairlifts and T-bars, as well as for a morning’s “skin up” on a ski randonnée route. I wanted to see how the jacket and pants performed in different conditions and while doing a variety of activities. Here are my thoughts.
More details of Montec Fawk women’s ski jacket and bib pants
Montec sell ski kit for men and women. There are different collections but the jackets and pants are generally quite loose fit. I like this style both for comfort and looks. They also sell their clothing in lots of different colours, which appeals to me. I took quite a while to choose the colours and, in the end, I went for practical burgundy and black. he lighter shades look great but I know from experience that these will get quickly dirty when skiing.
Montec also has jackets and pants that are more – or less – insulated. Since I usually wear just “shells”, which is usually a thinner fabric such as Gore-Tex, I chose the less insulated Montec jacket and pants. Montec call this their “shell” version but it’s a lined garment and therefore not what I would class as a shell. The insulated version is thicker still.
It’s the first time in many years that I have been able to shed baselayers and wear less under my ski jacket and pants, despite some particularly low temperatures. Usefully, there are venting zips in both the pants and jacket in case you do over-heat.
Features of Montec Fawk women’s ski jacket
Waterproof fabric: 20.000mm SHIELD-TEC
Breathable: 20.000g SHIELD-TEC
Taped seams
Bluesign approved
Fabric made with recycled polyester PET
Solution dyed fabric to promote sustainability by conserving water and energy in the production process
Helmet-compatible storm guard hood with front and rear drawstring adjustment
Underarm vents
Media pocket, with internal headphone cord outlet
Elasticated snow skirt
Lift pass pocket
Wrist gaiters
Oversized sleeve openings and velcro fasteners
Front zipper with double plackets
Microfleece chinguard
Drawstring waist
Drawstring hem
Power-mesh inner pocket
Lots of different colours
Sizes: XXS to XL
Price: £200
See: Montec
Features of Montec Fawk women’s bib pants
Waterproof fabric: 20.000mm SHIELD-TEC
Breathable: 20.000g SHIELD-TEC
Taped seams
Bluesign approved
Fabric made with recycled polyester PET
Solution dyed fabric to promote sustainability by conserving water and energy in the production process
Bib style
Zipped and meshed vents
Elasticated snow gaiters
Zippered gusseted hems
Reinforced hem and inner ankle
Snapper-adjustable waist
One-point adjustable suspenders
Front-access zipper
Sizes: XXS to XL
Lots of different colours
Price: £200
See: Montec
My thoughts: Montec Fawk women’s ski jacket and bib pants
The fit is loose and quite roomy. I have the size small and I am usually a UK10. I like the comfy fit but if you prefer your ski apparel to be figure-hugging Montec is not for you.
At first I thought the jacket and bib pants would feel quite heavy and I would overheat. I am used to lots of layers under a simple waterproof shell but I actually found it a bonus to wear less under my jacket and bib pants yet still feel protected from the cold.
The garments kept out the wet of heavy snow and proved to be nicely windproofing. The bib pants are very comfortable to wear. It’s great not having a waist band. The negative of bib pants is you need to strip off your jacket to access the straps of the pants when you want to go to the loo. A good addition would be a rear zip.
I found the length of the jacket arms, torso and legs to be excellent. I am quite tall with long arms yet I could use the wrist gaiters without cutting off my circulation. The gaiters help to keep wrists warm and they tuck inside mittens.
The wrist cuffs are wide and adjustable. This is great if you want to pull on the jacket over big gloves. There are tons of pockets in the jacket and the bibs. I didn’t use them all but the most useful was a roomy front pocket to fit my large smartphone, a lift pass pocket on a sleeve, a mesh inner pocket for spare gloves and further pockets on the bib pants that I used for snacks and other bits of kit.
The hood is roomy enough to fit over my ski helmet, too.
I tended to wear a couple of thin baselayer tops and a fleece jacket, plus light fleecy tights. I never felt cold.
When I felt too warm, I simply opened some of the zips. This was very useful when skiing uphill during my ski randonnée route morning in St Gervais ski resort. I would say that the Montec ski wear is not ideal for ski touring because it is not lightweight or cool enough during the uphill workout. I will stick to my usual shells, Helly Hansen Odin Backcountry Infinity Shell Jacket and Pants, but for general downhill skiing the outfit proved to be a great choice.
You get a lot for your money – £200 per item is very reasonable – and tons of features. The fabric also feels and looks hardwearing with good reinforced areas. The other thing I like about Montec is the customer service. They are quick to respond to queries about the garments. (They gain a 4.4 rating on Trustpilot, too.) I spotted quite a few people wearing Montec kit while in Les Gets in France and everyone had chosen a different design and colour. I asked a couple of people for their thoughts on the ski wear and they rated it highly saying they like the design, fit, comfort and durability.
- * I was sent the Montec ski jacket and bib pants in return for an honest review.